HPM Sheikh Hasina gets WITSA 2021 Award

The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) today named Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for its Eminent Persons Award for 2021 for her fight against fundamentalism, militancy and terrorism and her dedication to the Bangladeshi people's fundamental rights, dignity, self-sufficiency and prosperity.

The award was decaled at the World Congress on IT (WCIT 2021) which kicked off at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on November 11.

Sheikh Hasina joins the league of WITSA Eminent Persons Award winners who include former South African President Nelson Mandela, said WITSA in a statement.

Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, co-founders of the internet; John O'Sullivan and Terence Percival, co-founders of Wi-Fi, also got the award in the past.

The WITSA introduced the award in 2010 to broaden its honours to include individuals who have made and are continuing to make a significant contribution to mankind, said WITSA, a consortium of ICT industry association members from over 80 countries around the world.

ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak accepted the award on behalf of the Prime Minister from WITSA's Secretary General Dr Jim Poisant at the WCIT 2021.

Planning Minister MA Mannan was also present at the event.

Earlier, the International Telecommunication Union gave Hasina the 'ICTs in Sustainable Development Award 2015' for her outstanding contributions in spreading information technology in the country, said the WITSA.

At today's event, the WITSA also announced 14 private and public sector organisations from four different continents for its 2021 WITSA Global ICT Excellence Awards and a special WITSA Chairman's Award.

Bangladesh also grabbed three more awards this year. National tele-health contact centre 'Shastho Batayon 16263' received the Innovative E-Health Solutions Award.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association received 'Sustainable Growth/ Circular Economy Award' and Daffodil International University received 'E-Education & Learning Award'.

The WITSA Awards recognise the entities that made the most significant contributions to mankind in 2021, said a statement of the consortium whose members represent more than 90 percent of the world ICT market.

The selection committee for the 2021 Global ICT Excellence Awards reviewed over 100 well-qualified, unique and remarkable award submissions, said WITSA Chairman Yannis Sirros.

The nominations submitted to this year's awards programme spanned WITSA's entire global membership, from Egypt to Bangladesh, from Argentina to the United Kingdom and beyond.

"This year's awards are occurring at a unique time in history. Despite going through a global pandemic, we are delighted that we will be able to recognise some of the very best ICT solutions from governments, institutions, individuals, and industry," stated WITSA's Secretary General, Dr Jim Poisant.

Besides organisations and initiatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Nepal, Taiwan, Greece and Russia also got awards.